White Rock’s pier is set to be improved to the tune of $115,000.
The announcement was made by South Surrey-White Rock Cloverdale MP Russ Hiebert during a short press conference outside the White Rock Museum and Archives Friday afternoon.
Funding for the pier upgrade comes via a grant from the federal government’s Community Infrastructure Improvement fund, issued by Western Economic Diversification Canada. Hiebert spoke on behalf of Lynne Yelich, minister of state for Western Economic Diversification.
“This will serve to maintain and enhance the safety of the pier,” Hiebert told the small crowd of media, city staff and councillors who attended the lunch-hour presentation.
“I look forward to seeing the results of this investment and the benefits that will surely come with it.”
As part of the project, 11 damaged piles and cross-braces will be replaced.
White Rock councillor and acting mayor Louise Hutchinson praised the announcement, reiterating Hiebert’s announcement that the improvements are being done for safety reasons.
“Public safety is number one, so this has to be done – we can’t emphasize that enough,” she said, adding that the deficiencies were discovered due to city staff’s continued monitoring and maintenance of the pier.
Once the contract is put out to tender and the project gets underway, Hutchinson said the pier would be likely need to be closed “for a short time.”
The pier, originally built in 1915 and funded by a federal government grant, was designated a heritage monument in 1982.
